HTA coupling issue.

[AlexFord]

Can anybody help please? I am creating a scenario where I have to couple up to a rake of coal hoppers with the Driver Train (Class 66), but I have one issue that is stopping me at present. I set up a consist operation to go and pick up the rake of hoppers, but when I arrive at the rake the rake does not show in the coupling screen (F3) and I cannot couple to it auto or manual, but I can hit (slowly) the rake with the 66 and also the rake names show up with the F6/7 key. Any ideas why the wagon rake is not showing or coupling? The hoppers are default RS and I am using the 66 as the driver train, not Ai. The command for the operation to couple shows in the F1 assignments screen and I am using the correct end of the loco that I set in the consist operations command... frustrating.. I have even saved the rake of wagons as a consist in case it needed to be recognised as such but still no joy. All help welcome.

Thanks!

Alex

[GavNormandale]

i, untill you are coupled the wagon wont show up, to couple pull up to them and press ctrl-shift-c, the couple window is only used to uncouple wagons

cheers

Gav

[AlexFord]

Gav, thanks for your reply but the CTRL+SHIFT+C does not couple them for me (in either manual or auto coupling mode). I have auto-coupling set by default ( I assume that works in scenarios?). Understood ref the F3 couple window - thanks. So the topic heading is wrong(!), but of course I still have the lack of coupling problem.

Any more thoughts or suggestions as to why I am unable to couple up?

Thanks

Cheers

Alex

[AlexFord]

Done a little experiment to try and find the issue. I placed a FSA container flat and it coupled fine (automatically), but if I do exactly the same (same location and set up) with HTA coal hopper (the ones I am having the problem with) they won't couple! Is there some coupling incompatibility between the Class 66 and the HTA coal hopper wagons does anybody know?

Thanks

Alex

[AlexFord]

Yes - it seems to be an coupling issue between the 66 and the HTA coal hoppers - I replaced the HTA with the flat bed in the (original) same place in my scenario that I was having issues with and hey! they couple fine, so does anybody know what the issue is between the 66 and HTA coal hoppers as regards coupling - as in unable to?

Thanks!

Alex

[AlexFord]

Yes - I did a search and have seen several posts ref HTA coupling issues. I have read that it was going to be addressed in the Mk2 upgrade but as I have that installed it seems it may not have been (anybody know?). To get round this issue in my scenario I have placed a flatbed wagon between the Class 66 and the HTA hoppers, now I can couple to the flatbed that is coupled to the HTA's. May not be particularly realistic but at least it allows me to continue with the scenario building, but any thoughts welcome.

Thanks

Alex